Manchester United 3 - 2 Burnley
In a dramatic and action-packed five-goal thriller at Old Trafford, a last-gasp penalty from captain Bruno Fernandes secured Manchester United their first Premier League win of the season. The winning goal, timed at 96:10, was the fourth-latest winning goal recorded for the club in the Premier League by Opta since 2006-07, and the second-latest at home, just one second shy of Scott McTominay's winner against Brentford in October 2023.
Relief was the prevailing emotion as the final whistle blew, bringing an end to a tense match where the lead changed hands multiple times. The hosts initially took the lead before the break, courtesy of a Burnley own goal from Cullen. However, their dominance waned after half-time, allowing Burnley to claw their way back into the match. Foster fired the visitors level, but the parity was short-lived as Mbeumo immediately replied for United, restoring their lead.
The second equalizer of the match came from Anthony, who found the back of the net from close range for Burnley. Just when it seemed the spoils would be shared, the game's turning point arrived in stoppage time. Anthony, the goalscorer for Burnley, became the villain for his side after his shirt-pull on Amad inside the box gave United a golden opportunity from the spot. Fernandes, who had a penalty miss in the team’s recent Grimsby match, stepped up confidently and converted the winner.
The win was arguably well-deserved, with Ruben Amorim's side finishing the match with an xG of 3.54 and a total of 26 shots, a stark contrast to Burnley's xG of 1.2. The victory also highlighted a peculiar statistical milestone for the club: Manchester United are now the first side ever to have their first two goals of a Premier League season be own goals. This also means they have benefited from as many own goals this season (2) as they did in the previous two seasons combined.
For manager Ruben Amorim, this win maintains a notable trend; 50% of his Premier League victories for Manchester United have come against newly promoted opponents, a percentage that rises to 60% at Old Trafford.
With the Premier League now pausing for international duty, both teams will have a chance to regroup before facing tough opponents when the league resumes. Manchester United will prepare for a challenging fixture against arch-rivals Manchester City, while Burnley will host reigning champions Liverpool.